The 50 Scariest Video Games of All Time: 36-26

We continue our countdown of the 50 scariest games of all time with another round of hair-raising titles. We already included a bunch of old-school selections, including The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and Sinistar. However, we also threw in a few modern choices, especially with The Evil Within terrifying players around the world. On that note, prepare to sleep with the lights on.

Don’t miss numbers 50-37 in the start of our top 50 countdown!

36. Alone in the Dark

Before Resident Evil popularized the survival horror genre on the original PlayStation, Alone in the Dark sent shivers down the spines of PC owners. The story revolves around private investigator Edward Camby, who’s been asked to check out a mysterious mansion filled with all kinds of spooky horrors. The graphics look dated by today’s standards, but the scares remain strong – and, let’s be honest, the game certainly beats the cruddy Uwe Boll film.

35. Siren: Blood Curse

Fans of stealth games are sure to appreciate Sony’s scare-filled offering for PlayStation 3. You play as a variety of characters, occasionally using “sight jacking” to get an idea of where your enemies, the Shibito, are located, so you can avoid them at all costs. Get caught and you’re as good as dead. With atmospheric music and visuals, Siren definitely deserves a spot on our list.

34. Doom 3 

Say what you will about the Doom 3 flashlight, but there’s no denying this game’s intensity. That’s mainly due to the combination of effective lighting and freakish enemies that id Software injected into the game. Combined with great weapon effects and plenty of jump scares, it’s an experience that fans and newcomers will certainly appreciate. That, and it leaves us even hungrier for the next Doom coming in 2015.

33. Alien: Isolation

After Aliens: Colonial Marines landed with a thud, Sega managed to re-energize the classic sci-fi horror series with Isolation, a stealth-based survival horror game brimming with tension. Playing as Ellen Ripley’s daughter, your job is to escape the confines of a space facility, which isn’t easy considering there’s a deadly Alien roaming about. Make even a hint of noise and it’ll come running, forcing you to either hide or face inevitable death.

(Don’t forget to check out our extensive Alien: Isolation coverage!)

32. Nocturne

Taking place in the Prohibition period of the late 20s-early 30s, this beloved PC game focuses on a Stranger who finds himself in the midst of a vampire mystery. Between mobsters attempting to bring Frankenstein-like creatures to life, the lack of your main character’s identity (he’s simply known as the Stranger) and Terminal Reality’s effective lighting effects, there are plenty of scares to be found in this old-school favorite.

31. Left 4 Dead 2

Valve impressed us with the debut of Left 4 Dead, an exciting co-op zombie-hunting experience that relied on teamwork in order to escape in one piece. However, with the sequel, the development team went all out with the action, hurling more enemies at us than ever before. In addition, the Witch is terrifying. When she lets out her scream, you’re better off running like hell.

30. Blood

Taking advantage of the hype that Doom originally brought to the PC, Monolith created something spectacular – and gory – with its first-person shooter, Blood. Taking place in the early 20th century, the game puts you in the shoes of a gunslinger tasked with bringing down all sorts of twisted beings, generated by the dark god Tchernobog. Obviously, with a name like Blood, you can expect plenty of carnage – but there’s also a huge sense of fear that you may not survive. 

29. Alien vs. Predator

While some people prefer the more modern PC games in the series (or the above-mentioned Isolation), the Atari Jaguar version of Alien vs. Predator holds a special place in our hearts. Although playing as either Alien or Predator is a superb experience, the real terror lies in playing as a Marine. In that regard, you have to deal with both Aliens and Predators – with only a few weapons at that. Yeah, good luck surviving.

28. Lone Survivor: Director’s Cut

Lone Survivor looks deceptively simple compared to other games on this list, with its simplistic 8-bit visuals. However, its horror is very real, as you seek out the mysterious “You” amidst a horde of strange creatures. With very minimal ammunition to rely on, you’ll have to fight to survive as you explore each darkly lit room. The trailer above certainly sets the mood for the shocks that you’re in for.

27. P.T. (Silent Hills)

Even though it was just a demo for a much larger project – a Silent Hills team-up between Hideo Kojima, Guillermo del Toro and Norman Reedus – P.T. effectively delivered a satisfying amount of horror. The fact that it was a free demo made the deal even sweeter, especially considering all the scares it delivered, from a weird fetus monster in the sink to a ghost that had us screaming like kids.

26. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

There are several Resident Evil experiences that made their way onto this list, but the third chapter deserves a spot mainly because of its (nearly) unstoppable villain, the Nemesis. A large, Umbrella-produced beast with hulking strength and unnerving speed, he can easily hunt down his prey with ease – and considering Jill Valentine has so little to fend him off, that creates sheer terror in a number of instances. This is a PlayStation classic  well worth rediscovering.